Magnetic card table top



July 13, 1965 N. c. SCHUMANN MAGNETIC CARD TABLE TOP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8-, 1963 FIG. 3 26 INVENTOR Norman 6. Schumann ATTORNEY y 1955 N. c. SCHUMANN 3,

lillllniillllli I!" IN! United States Patent 3,194,561 MAGNEIHI CARD TABLE TOP Norman (3. Schumann, 62% Pennsylvania Ave, West Bend, Wis. Filed Mar. 8, 19b3, Ser. llo. 263,994 1 Claim. (Ql. 273-436) This invention relates to a wind and motion resistant card table top and playing card combination and more particularly to the provision of a readily portable card table top which is easily attachable to a conventional card table and has magnetic means therein and cooperating means in the cards of a deck of playing cards of this invention for holding the individual cards in position thereon against being blown away by breezes or the wind or disturbed by motion of the card table yet wherein the playing cards look and act like ordinary playing cards and may be handled like ordinary playing cards.

A furtherobject of this invention is to provide a thin portable table top which may be readily secured on a conventional card table without seriously affecting the height of the playing surface thereon and to provide a deck of playing cards wherein the individual cards will readily attach themselves to the table top against being blown away or disturbed by a breeze or by table motion but which can be readily removed therefrom by the player, and wherein the deck of playing cards will feel and act and can be handled like conventional playing cards.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a thin playing card table top which will have sheath-like magnets embedded therewithin in combination with the cards of a deck of playing cards wherein each card has a soft iron core embedded therewithin in such a manner that it does not add appreciably to the weight of the card or affect the resiliency or normal handling of the playing cards.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a playing card table top in combination with a deck of cards as well as with a set of counters such as poker chips, wherein the table top has a very thin magnetic means embedded therein and spaced throughout its surface, and wherein both the cards and the poker chips have soft iron cores or other magnet cooperating means in such a manner that they do not affect either the appearance or conventional handling thereof, yet which will readily removably attach themselves and remain firmly in position on the surface of the table top against being disturbed by the wind or relative movement of the table top, such as when on a vehicle, yet which can be readily removed in the ordinary manner therefrom while playing cards and passing chips around.

With the above and related objects in View, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a conventional card table to which the card table top of this invention has been temporarily attached.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through the playing card table and table top attached thereto on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the table top per se on line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the table top of this invention, showing the positioning of the magnets, all but a fragment of the top covering being omitted.

FIG. 5 is a face view of a typical playing card of this invention.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the back of a deck of playing cards of this invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view on line 7-7 of FIG. 5, showing one form of construction of playing card.

FIG. 8 is a similar sectional view showing a slightly modified construction of playing card.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a counter or poker chip incorporating this invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view on line 19-16 of FIG. 9.

There is shown at iii the card table top of this invention which may be provided with a fold line 12 facilitating carrying and storing the table top 10', the top It being also provided at one edge with a looped handle 14 providing a convenient carrying handle. Extending from each of the four corners of the square tabletop it) are looped elastic bands 16 for detachably and temporarily securing the top It) on any square conventional playing card table 13 having its customary legs 28 supporting the card table 18 in the conventional manner.

The table top ill of this invention includes a top cover ing 22 preferably of a suitable flexible plastic fabric providing a suitable card playing surface thereon, the top covering 22 being here shown as provided with a suitable decorative border 23. It is obvious that any suitable decorations may be provided on the playing surface of the top covering 22 or that it may be left entirely plain as desired. Many suitable plastic and fabric flexible materials are available on the market such as have been used for providing playing surfaces for playing cards as well as providing strong wear-resistant coverings for seats and chairs and other furniture. Naugahyde fabric is one example of a suitable commercially available fabric.

The table top It? also includes a thin, lightweight, but substantially strong, base 24 which may be plywood, hardwood or plastic impregnated plywood or plastic shee of suitable construction and rigidity. Supported on this base sheet 24, in a checkerboard arrangement thereon, are a plurality of thin sheath-like bar magnets with their north poles all pointing toward the same end of the top Ill and the south poles all pointing toward the opposite end, the bar magnets 26 being separated from each other by non-magnetic bars at 23 of the same thinness as the bar magnets 26. The non-magnetic bars 28 may be of the same material as the base 24.

When the fold line 12 is present, then, of course, only the top covering 22 is continuous and the base 24 is made in two pieces separated along the fold line 12 and the filler layer consisting of the magnetic bars 26 and nonmagnetic separating bars 23 supported on the base 24 likewise is separated at the fold line 12. The flexible fabric top covering 22 provides a suitable hinge along the fold line 12 when the card table top is made foldable.

The card deck shown at 30, in FIG. 6, includes a number of playing cards 32 for cooperating with the card table top ill. Each playing card 32 is made preferably in the form of a sandwich consisting of a face portion 34, a back member 36 and a filler 38. In FIG. 7, the face member or portion 34 and back member 36 may each be of suitable paper or plastic material, secured together in sandwich form with a filler including a soft iron core 38 therebetween. The soft iron core 33 will not be a solid piece but will preferably be scattered soft iron powder particles in a minimum amount throughout most of the area of the filler, the powder being embedded in any suitable lightweight adhesive or plastic by which the face member 34 and back member 36 are secured together.

Alternatively, a card 40, as shown in FIG. 8, may be made by having a face member 42 sprayed on its back with a mixture of soft iron powder particles and lacquer at 44-, the iron particles being shown at 45 scattered throughout the lacquer 48. Only a minimum number of iron powder particles will be necessary in either form of card. On the lacquer and iron powder mix or filler 44 there will be .sprayed a suitable plastic material providing a back member 50 up to the necessary thickness for the card 40.

In either form of card, the playing card 32 or 40 will be built up to a thickness no greater than that of the conventional playing card whether of paper or of plastic, such as has been on the market for many, many years and it is contemplated that the same type of plastic, as Well as other suitable plastics, may be used in making up the card of this invention. Obviously, it is undesirable that any of the iron particles extend through either the front or back surface of theplaying card. For this reason, whatever the filler of the playing card sandwich is made of, including the minimum number of iron particles necessary to be operative, the front and back surfaces will be smooth, either paper or plastic, as in conventional playing cards.

In FIGS. 9 and 10, the essence of this invention has been applied to wafer-like game counters, such as poker chips 52. These wafer-like poker chips 52 are of conventional appearance and may be provided with a conventional serrated annular border at 54 enabling the poker chips 52 to be stacked in a conventional manner. Each poker chip 52 includes a soft iron core filler 56 sandwiched between upper and lower layers 58 and 60 of suitable plastic, the same type of plastic of which conventional plastic poker chips are made. Again, only a minimum number'of soft iron powder particles are used in the soft iron core filler 56 and again they may be suitably dispersed in a suitable carrying medium so as to keep the number down to the minimum number necessary to be serviceable.

In operation, the card table top of this invention may be folded at its fold line 12, if present, when not in use, for storaging or carrying purposes, and is readily carried by means of the handle 14. It is attached to any conventional card table 18 by merely looping its elastic securing bands 16 about the four corners of the card table 18, and the deck of cards 30 made up in either manner is handled, shuffled and dealt in the conventional manner. Obviously, the card table top of this invention may be used without a conventional card table, it may be placed on any supporting surface. Also, it maybe used as a lap board, particularly when made as a single piece with the fold line 12 omitted, as illustrated in FIG. 4. Likewise, it may be a built-in or permanent top of a card table. However, when the cards 32 are placed on the top covering 22, the magnetic flux from the sheath-like bar magnets 26 will keep the cards in position wherever they are placed thereon, resistant to any tendency to be blown away by any breeze or wind or be disturbed by any motion of any vehicle in which the card table may be located. Poker chips 52 may likewise be placed on the table top, individually or in stacks, their soft iron cores being attracted to the magnetic bars 26 in the table top 10 and holding them in position. The soft iron particles in the cards and chips are not permanently magnetized, and hence the cards will handle conventionally.

The table top 10 of this invention is particularly useful in out-of-doors use such as in patios or on the'beach, at the seashore, or even on moving vehicles such as trains, automobiles, ships, airplanes, and the like, Holding the cards and poker chips in position wherever they are placed on the card table top 10 yet enabling them to be readily removed by the player, either by picking them directly up off the surface of the top covering 22 or sliding them off the edge thereof as may be convenient.

The table top or lap board of this invention would, of course, be wind resistant up to a point with a reasonable wind blowing. a I

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of-the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

A table top for magnetically holding magnetically cooperating playings cards in position thereon, said table top being substantially square in outline andcomprising a playing surface top covering, a base spaced therebe- .neath, and a plurality of rectangular fiat magnetic bars References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,856,799 5/ 32 Waters 273136 X 2,491,894 12/49 Fox 273--136 2,600,951 6/52 Edwards.

6/63 Holtz 273136 X DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner. 

